FBI EXAMINES ATHLETES
Sex abuse claims draw FBI interest
A USA TODAY Sports investigation has found that two-time Olympic champion Steven Lopez and his brother Jean, members of what is known as the “First Family of Taekwondo,” were being investigated for sexual misconduct before the 2016 Rio Olympics and the claims uncovered have drawn the attention of the FBI.
Steven and Jean Lopez, brothers in what is often called the “First Family of Taekwondo,” were allowed to participate in last summer’s Rio Games even though they were being investigated for sexual misconduct, and the allegations against them have since drawn the interest of the FBI.
USA Taekwondo began investigating the Lopezes more than two years ago after receiving complaints that they had allegedly sexually assaulted multiple women. No hearings were held, and USA Taekwondo, after consulting with the U.S. Olympic Committee, agreed to put the inquiries on hold before the Rio Games, meaning two-time Olympic champion Steven and longtime coach Jean were free to represent the United States.
But USA Taekwondo and the investigating attorney, Donald Alperstein, had enough concern that he shared information with the FBI and alerted police in the Lopezes’ hometown of Sugar Land, Texas.
In a March 22 letter to one of the women that was obtained by USA TODAY Sports, Alperstein said he notified the FBI “because so much of the misconduct occurred in multiple jurisdictions.” He also said he “felt the Lopez brothers needed to be removed from the sport.”
Mandy Meloon, a former taekwondo athlete who has accused Jean Lopez of molesting her, said she was interviewed by an FBI agent for about two hours May 19. Meloon says the agent questioned her about Jean and Steven Lopez regarding “stuff that happened on the national team when we traveled internationally.”
Meloon says she gave the agent names of women who had allegedly been abused — by the Lopezes and others in the sport — to